Is Music the Universal Language
Kehaulani M. Rand
HWST. 290V
September 22, 2008
“Is Music the Universal Language?”
One person's spoken language might sound like gobbled gook to another - but when it comes to music do we beat to a common evolutionary drum? Could music be the universal language - linking minds across cultures and ancestral time? And, which came first - music or language?
I believe music is history... Music usually reflects the environment and times of its creation, often even the country and or cultural feeling. Music allows all human beings to create emotion.
As I reflected on the handouts, and link sites given in class on music, I think about the evolution of our music as Kanaka Maoli. As a teen I loved the sweet melody of the song Kaulana nā pua. I could sing the words, but I never understood the meaning. I knew it was written about feelings against annexation towards the United States, but it wasn’t until I read it again while reading “From a Native Daughter” that I really began to understand that this song was written as a protest, with words such as “Do not put the signature on the paper of the enemy.” It sounds so sweet in Hawaiian. However, unless you know the language you would probably think it was just another sweet Hawaiian song about the beauty of the islands. As we travelled trough the renaissance period, of the late 70's we began to hear songs like “Hawaii 78” sung by Braddah IZ, and how he expresses the words “How would they feel” speaking about our ancestors, and how they would feel about the changes that has happened in Hawaii. Today we are hearing music of the younger generation through rap, and reggae. For example the song “Ea” sung by Sudden Rush is not a sweet melodic Hawaiian song, but their message is pretty straight forward “Hawaiians tell me what you want. Ea!” The other music shared for the class to listen to was by Big Island Conspiracy with similar messages as the above mentioned songs, but a country flare with proper English spoken throughout the songs.
Is Music the Universal Language? Some may argue or disagree, but for Kanaka Maoli it has been a part of our culture from the beginning of time with the kumulipo (creation chant), and genealogy chants that were recited, and pass down from generation to generation. I recognize how important our chants were in perpetuating our history, and I realize that music will continue to perpetuate our history, and allow us to voice our emotions for future generations.
HWST. 290V
September 22, 2008
“Is Music the Universal Language?”
One person's spoken language might sound like gobbled gook to another - but when it comes to music do we beat to a common evolutionary drum? Could music be the universal language - linking minds across cultures and ancestral time? And, which came first - music or language?
I believe music is history... Music usually reflects the environment and times of its creation, often even the country and or cultural feeling. Music allows all human beings to create emotion.
As I reflected on the handouts, and link sites given in class on music, I think about the evolution of our music as Kanaka Maoli. As a teen I loved the sweet melody of the song Kaulana nā pua. I could sing the words, but I never understood the meaning. I knew it was written about feelings against annexation towards the United States, but it wasn’t until I read it again while reading “From a Native Daughter” that I really began to understand that this song was written as a protest, with words such as “Do not put the signature on the paper of the enemy.” It sounds so sweet in Hawaiian. However, unless you know the language you would probably think it was just another sweet Hawaiian song about the beauty of the islands. As we travelled trough the renaissance period, of the late 70's we began to hear songs like “Hawaii 78” sung by Braddah IZ, and how he expresses the words “How would they feel” speaking about our ancestors, and how they would feel about the changes that has happened in Hawaii. Today we are hearing music of the younger generation through rap, and reggae. For example the song “Ea” sung by Sudden Rush is not a sweet melodic Hawaiian song, but their message is pretty straight forward “Hawaiians tell me what you want. Ea!” The other music shared for the class to listen to was by Big Island Conspiracy with similar messages as the above mentioned songs, but a country flare with proper English spoken throughout the songs.
Is Music the Universal Language? Some may argue or disagree, but for Kanaka Maoli it has been a part of our culture from the beginning of time with the kumulipo (creation chant), and genealogy chants that were recited, and pass down from generation to generation. I recognize how important our chants were in perpetuating our history, and I realize that music will continue to perpetuate our history, and allow us to voice our emotions for future generations.
posted by Kehaulani @ 6:18 PM
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